Unique Drummers
by Lillith Wormwood
Summary: A few days before starting fresh at Forks High School, and here I am, wondering where this chest came from. And these hips?
1. Chapter 1

My name is Isabella Swan.

Although I prefer Bella. The name does suite me in the simplistic sense, but not so much in the 'beautiful' sense. Sure I was beautiful, to Rene and Charlie. But to anyone else I was cute, or maybe pretty. But definitely not beautiful. I mean, I'm Bella. The clumsy, cute, bookworm, who is so surplus, it should be illegal. That is, until this summer.

A few days before starting fresh at Forks High School, and here I am, wondering where this chest came from. And these hips? I had become content. Content with the fact that I couldn't attract any boy but your average band geek. Yes, those were the boys that fawned over me, band geeks, robotics geeks, and the regular old geeks. Well, that's what I thought until I started getting a lot more attention.

A wink from the hunky checker at the local grocery store, and a smirk from every teenage boy I came into contact with this summer. I decided that I needed a good hard look in the mirror.

There had to be some kind of reason for all this regard. So I looked. The hair that I had always thought to be a mousy brown, didn't seem too mousy anymore. Instead, what I saw was a thick wild rich brunette mane. And so my skin, the parchment that I was barely aware of, now seemed to be the elixir of these alien looks. Although I glowed a pale snow, I did glow. My skin was unscathed, maybe even flawless. Long lashes framed large chocolate doe eyes. My lips were full, slightly uneven, but full. Maybe even pouty. Pouty? Did I just go from cute, straight to sexy? No, no. Where did all of this conceitedness come from? I couldn't be sexy. I am not sexy.

I am little ol' Bella Swan. I wear cherry chap stick and a tiny bit of mascara, sometimes. Although, if you asked me if I liked being little ol' Bella Swan, I'd say no. I'd say no because I'm odd. I've never really meshed well with anyone. Sure I had friends. Friends that never met the true Bella Swan. Friends that revised each others Lit. papers, friends that never hung out after school, friends that had zero depth, friends that... friends that really weren't friends at all. Now I had a chance, a real chance at soul mates. I was starting fresh and I looked... affecting. Where did all these looks come from? Wasn't this suppose to happen during puberty? Maybe I was just a late bloomer. Anyway, I would need a new wardrobe, confidence, some spunk, and somehow I'd find soul mates, and maybe even a boyfriend.

So, I'm not going to be little ol' Bella swan. Now what kind of people did I want to attract? This would be tricky. I couldn't possibly be a cheerleader or anything like that. No, that wouldn't work at all. I can't even walk ten feet without tripping. I had zero coordination. Maybe I should stick to what I'm used to. I love music and reading. That's it! I would find a nitch in with the artists. The students that marched to the beat of their own drum, they'd be chalk full of depth. These unique drummers were intimidating. I'd have to do my homework, and really work on my style and demeanor.

"Hey Mom, I'll be back in a little." I yelled.  
"Oh, alright. Where are you going?"  
"Just down to the store, did you need anything?"  
"Nope, you go ahead."

There strewn across the back of the pharmacy wall were neatly stacked fashion magazines. A lot of them. Did a lot of teenage girls decide to change their demeanors too? I picked up In Style, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, and Cosmo Girl. These magazines were my bibles now. I would learn to be flirty, one hundred one different ways. I'd find the best eyeshadow for my eye color, and the right jean cut for my body shape.

"Hi, did you find everything alright?"  
"Yes."  
"Your total is going to be 12.56."  
I handed him my debt card.  
"I hope you have a good day Isabella Swan."  
He handed me back my card, and my receipt. Written at the top of the receipt was his name and phone number.  
"You too Kevin." I cooed, and winked.

This was going to be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry this took me so long. I just don't know if fanfiction's something I'm good at. We'll see how this goes.  
**

I had exactly one day before my plane ride rainy Seattle. Before my realization, I wasn't looking forward to school there, but now I was. In just two days I had an entirely new wardrobe. Compliments of Renee, my Mother. I think the guilt was getting to her. She thought that I felt obligated to live with Charlie for the next year, because of Phil. Phil was Renee's new husband. He's a minor league ball player. I wanted to stay with Charlie, my Father, because Phil travels a lot with the team. I could tell that Renee really wanted to be with him, only there was me. I'm the one who actually felt guilty. Renee was newly married, and didn't spend enough time with him. But I did take advantage of the fact that she felt guilty.

We hit the mall. We were now very good customers of Anthropologie, Hot Cats, Urban Outfitters, and Robert Wayne. According to Teen Vogue, I needed straight leg jeans, which now I have a sufficient amount of. I was a proud owner of very comfy new boots, and several other shoes. Packed away already were two suit cases filled with new sweaters, t-shirts, blouses, and coats. The fact that I was now happier with new clothing didn't make the shopping experience more bearable. My Mother being there, did however. She had a blast, and that made me feel better about the price tags that she blatantly ignored. It was good bonding time between Renee and I. I would miss her terribly.

Charlie called yesterday to ask about my arrival time, and to tell me that my room was ready and waiting. I'd be living in Forks, a small town just outside Port Angeles, Washington. Forks was a town that barely saw the sun. I was ready though, with the proper attire. I prepared myself for the subjects of music and art. This was who I already was, but I needed to be an expert. I knew enough about literature already. Everything was set, but I was still nervous. If I couldn't find soul mates here in Phoenix, where my class had over seven hundred students alone, what were my chances at a school with just over three hundred students all together?

I guess I would have to be myself, just better. I'd have to be better because obviously something was wrong with me; I didn't have any friends.

I did need some attitude, I knew that. I had confidence now that I saw myself clearly. Attitude was a different story. It's not that I didn't stand up for myself, I did. But I never opened up. I never expressed my opinion. There was something highly attractive about a person who expressed an opinion where it wasn't popular.

That's what I needed to be, opinionated.

It's not like I could prepare myself for that though. There wasn't anything in In Style about how to express an opinion. I guess I would just have to wing it.

Wingin' it isn't exactly the Bella style. But this is the new Bella.

Charlie didn't hover while I unpacked my things. My room was exactly how I remembered it. Simple, just like the old Bella. I threw up a Lisa Hannigan poster and a few Diane Arbus prints. The room felt like me.

"Bella, dinner!" Charlie yelled.  
I made my way down the stairs.  
"Pizza. I hope you like peperoni."  
"I do, thanks." I said.

The awkward silence at the table was almost tangible. I suddenly felt famished. I hadn't been eating enough. I'd been too nervous lately. Finally I could relax, there was nothing I could worry about now, I would have to let the chips just fall. I was here, in Forks, and plane tickets were expensive. I walked over to the kitchen table to eat, and Charlie followed me silently.

Once we were at the table, the atmosphere felt less tense.

"So Bella, school tomorrow." Charlie stated.  
"Yup." I responded.  
"Do you have everything you need?"  
"Yeah, thanks Dad."  
"You know, I missed you kiddo." He spoke quietly.  
"I missed you too."

I gave up on sleep, around 4:30. I was too hyped up. I decided I would get started on the looking like I-didn't-care-about-how-I-looked-by-looking-totally-hot-with

out-looking-like-I-tried look. Yeah... good thing I had three hours.

While I showered I tried to keep my mind away from today, but the shower actually opened the floodgates to hell, really. Who would I sit with at lunch? Jesus, would I sit alone? What do I say if I have to introduce myself? Oh God, I'm the new girl... everyone's expecting me! What the on Earth am I going to wear? Why didn't I pick out a first day of school outfit!

I scrubbed my head into oblivion and ran out of the shower, not without slipping and falling of course.

"Crap." That's gonna leave a mark.

I dried myself off. I wanted that shiny, fluffy, soft, hippie, only achievable in a high fashion photo shoot, hair. Oh dear, impossible.

Actually, my hair turned out well. I tried out a couple of tiny braids, that really set my hair off. I did a good job.

I put on a light layer of tinted moisturizer, some sparkly mauve rouge, covered my lips in electric red, filled my eyes in with an easy smokey eye, and went to war with my eyelashes.

I looked good, really good.

When I got back to my room, I pulled out my favorite light wash, low rise, strategically holed, jeans, a worn looking Allman Brothers Band shirt, and a short, dark purple pea coat, vest thing. I pulled on my badass comfy boots, and I was ready.

I pulled up to Forks High School in my ancient cherry red truck. I was really early. I needed my schedule. I had missed the "Back to School" day where you got all those things taken care of.

I stumbled into the main office to find a large red head, behind the desk.

"Hi there, I need to pick up my schedule." I said.  
"Name." She spoke, without looking up.  
"Isabella Swan." I answered.  
"Isa-Oh dear, Charlie's daughter!" She yelped out.  
"Yes, that's me."  
"We've been expecting you- here you go." She handed me my classes, and a few other papers.  
"Thank you."  
"You get that signed by all your teachers, and bring it back to me after school, and tell me all about your 1st day, you here?"  
"Alrighty, thank you."  
"You have a good day Isabella!" She beamed.

I hightailed it back to my truck. Even in the Summer, Forks was a chilly tundra. I turned on the heat, and tried to memorize my way to a couple of classes, using the map the large red headed woman gave me. It must have been the heat, because I dozed off.

I woke up to the sound of panicked taps coming from the passenger side window. I looked to my left to see a small grinning girl.

"Hey! Hey!"  
I rolled down my window.  
"Hi, you're Isabella Swan aren't you?"

I was about to respond, but I got caught up in her looks. Wow, this girl had good genes. She had spiky soft black hair, perfect skin, and bright blue eyes. Her bone structure was immaculate. She was really very tiny.

"Um, Isabella?"  
Doi, I hadn't said anything yet.  
"Haha, oh yeah sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night, everything's a little foggy. Call me Bella."  
She smiled. "Bella. I'm sorry I woke you, but I didn't want you to be late for your first day. I didn't recognize the car. I figured, you were you," She giggled, "and I thought you may need help finding your first class."  
"Oh, gee thanks. That was nice of you."

I got out of the cab, and walked over to her.

"Schedule?" She asked.  
"Here you go." I handed it over.  
She looked it over thoughtfully. "Math, your first class is over in Portable "B". I'll walk you over."  
"Thanks." I smiled.  
She smiled back.

We started walking. I noticed that most of the parking lot was staring at us. The girl seemed to notice too. I suddenly felt self conscious. People were openly staring. What did that mean? I was the new girl. I'd probably be the main discussion of their gossip. That was to be expected. I now felt the need to be a rebel. I wanted to give them something to talk about. I'd keep my history, pastimes, and issues a secret. I think I subconsciously had already decided to that. Nobody liked a downer, but everyone loved a mystery.

"Maybe they should take a picture." I chuckled, almost nervously.  
"Haha, yeah." She laughed, and looked down to study my classes.  
We walked a little further.

"Well Bella, much to my disappointment, we don't have any classes together."  
We stopped in front of a portable with a large sign that read "B".  
"Oh really? Shucks, that really is too bad." I said, genuinely frustrated.

I thought about running back into the main office to get my classes switched around, so I could have a few with this girl. I immediately nixed the idea. That would be way too needy, I didn't even know her name yet.

"You have Biology with my brother Edward, but I will see you a lunch." She beamed. "Well we're here. It was nice meeting you Bella, I have a good feeling we're going to be great friends."  
I smiled largely. "It was nice meeting you too..." I trailed off.  
"Oh, sorry," She stuck out her hand, "Alice Cullen."


End file.
